FirstGen Project

Your Story Can

Make a Difference

FIRST GEN GRADs

Exploring the Narratives of First Generation High School & College Graduates

What does it mean to be the first one in your family to reach an unprecedented educational milestone? This question is at the center of the first Storytellers for Change yearlong participatory digital storytelling and community project.

Anyone who becomes the first one in their family to graduate from high school or college, is in the process of writing a new chapter in the history of their families and communities. The experiences of these students hold the knowledge that is so needed to make our education institutions more inclusive and equitable.

We are currently working with six first-generation graduate students from across the Puget Sound to produce a mini-documentary series and implement a community project dedicated to exploring the power of storytelling and the lessons we can learn from first-generation graduate students.

FIRST-GEN PROGRAM BENEFITS

Become a Storyteller for Change

In order to participate in the program, storytellers must meet the following criteria:

Reside within Washington State;

Be the first one in your family to graduate from high school (high school seniors on track to graduate by 2018); or

Be the first one in your family attending a college or university in Washington State; or

Be the first one in your family to have graduated from college within the last year.

Program Benefits

Storytellers accepted to participate in the program will receive:

$150 Participation Stipend

Professional Headshots Photo Shoot

Storytelling & Public Speaking Coaching

Storytellers for Change T-Shirt

Networking and mentorship opportunities with community leaders, entrepreneurs, and higher education professionals.